AT&T has announced that it invested more than $1.5 billion in its Michigan wireless and wireline networks from 2009 through 2011, with a focus on improving the company's mobile broadband coverage and overall performance of its networks.

During 2011, AT&T made nearly 1,900 wireless network upgrades in four key categories in Michigan. These enhancements include:

-- Activating more than 30 new cell sites or towers to improve network coverage.

"Our goal is to deliver a network experience that mobilizes everything for customers," said Brian Ducharme, vice president and general manager, AT&T Michigan and Indiana. "The ongoing investment we're making in Michigan is designed to increase coverage and reliability, and to provide advanced services to our customers."

CNN Money recently recognized AT&T for enhancing its wireless network. Last year, AT&T completed 150,000 network enhancements across the country, more than triple the year before, giving customers more capacity and faster speeds, as well as improving 3G dropped-call performance by 25 percent.

"As Michigan continues its resurgence, it's encouraging to see companies like AT&T continuing massive investment in the infrastructure to empower our citizens and job providers. AT&T is betting on Michigan to win, as should we all," said Speaker of the House Jase Bolger, R-Marshall.

AT&T plans to support the build or upgrade of thousands of cell sites nationwide to increase network speed, coverage and reliability for both mobile voice and broadband services.

In addition, AT&T plans to install additional radio "carriers" at thousands of cell sites nationally, enabling new layers of spectrum capacity to carry larger volumes of mobile broadband traffic. Additional capacity helps support rising mobile data traffic volumes, which continue to increase at a rapid pace.

"The 21st century economy operates at the speed of light and competing means having access to the fastest speeds and a world class wireless infrastructure," said Michigan Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (Monroe). "AT&T's commitment to Michigan and the remarkable investment they've made in communities across the state are helping reignite our local economy. We are reinventing Michigan and we couldn't do it without fantastic partners like AT&T."

For more information about AT&T's coverage in Michigan or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer at www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/. Using the online tool, AT&T customers can measure coverage quality of coverage from a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.